Tequila has to come from Agave plants, specifically the Blue Agave variety.

3. It's technically a mezcal. But not all mezcals are tequila. That's because any spirit distilled from the agave plant are considered mezcal, but tequila can come from the blue agave variation.

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4. Tequila pairings are a thing. The spirit has inspired many of the world's top chefs and most discerning palates to create extraordinary food pairings.

5. As with wine, terroir can influence the taste of tequila. Casa Dragones agaves are harvested in the rich agricultural lands of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, where the mineral-rich soil produces sweet blue agaves, according to the tequila brand's CEO and co-founder.

6. The agave harvest is a labor of love. Agave azultequilanaweber, or blue agave, plants take between 8 and 12 years to harvest.

7. The majestic agave plant is not a cactus. The agave plant actuallybelongs to the Agavoideae family, which is closely related to the lily plant. In Latin, agave means illustrious, admirable, and noble.

8. Mexico's magnificent agave landscape is recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

IMAGE GETTY / IVAN GARCIA / AFP / GETTY IMAGES

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A blue agave plantation in the Amatitlan Valley in the Jalisco State of Mexico.

9. Before you taste tequila, use your nose. The Mexican Academy of Tequila Tasters has identified more than 600 aromas in tequila.

11. Tequila has tasting notes, like wine. In the case of Casa Dragones, the brand collaborated the Mexican Academy of Tequila Tasters to define its unique tasting notes, which include notes of vanilla and spiced undertones for Casa Dragones Joven, and semi-sweet notes of agave warmed by hints of pepper and cloves for Casa Dragones Blanco.

12. Tequila is finished with 60 percent water.

Here's an exclusive summer tequila cocktail recipe:

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Crafted by Jim Meehan and Enrique Olvera

2 oz Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco

.75 oz lime juice

.5 oz grapefruit juice

.5 oz agave syrup

2 dashes Orchard Street Celery Shrub

Shake with ice and fine strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with 1 oz Fever Tree ginger ale. Garnish with a lime wheel.

This story originally appeared on Townandcountrymag.com.* Minor edits have been made by the Townandcountry.ph editors.